Glen Lake Manor Revamp Set For Public Hearing Tuesday

A century-old Glen Lake staple could get a resurrection – and a facelift – depending on what happens at a public hearing scheduled for tomorrow evening.

Susan and Robert Rife are the owners of the Glen Lake Manor, a one-time restaurant and inn that the couple has been working to revive for the past several years. The business, formerly known as the Manor on Glen Lake, was once owned by Susan’s late sister, Nancy Wright, who had managed the property since 2004. When Nancy passed away in 2020, the Manor closed its doors as a fine dining establishment.

Built in the early 20th century, the Manor first opened its doors as a resort hotel – called the Cold Springs Inn – in 1906. The property swapped hands and names, to Ocker’s Inn, in the 1920s. Then, in 1956, Susan and Nancy’s grandparents bought the business and renamed it again, this time to the Glen Lake Manor. The property has been in the Wright family ever since. Nancy tweaked the name to the Manor on Glen Lake, but the Rifes plan to restore the Glen Lake Manor name.

The name isn’t the only thing the new owners plan to restore. At an Empire Township Planning Commission meeting scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7pm, the Rifes will present their full-fledged “Glen Lake Manor Restoration Plan.” The couple are seeking a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) “to allow for food service, lodging, a retail store, and other auxiliary uses” at the Manor, which is located at 7345 West Glenmere Road in Empire. A SLUP is required for some of the Rifes’ intended uses, given that the parcel is located within a residential zoning district – though, due to its previous commercial operations, the property does have an existing special use permit for its commercial kitchen and dining operations, as well as a valid liquor license.

In presentation documents shared with the Empire Township Planning Commission – and obtained by the Leelanau Ticker – the Rifes tout a vision to “restore the historic Glen Lake Manor property and business to offer warm hospitality, casual fare, private gatherings, quality lodging, and exceptional guest experiences.” The plan outlines four commercial “endeavors” for the property, all of which will operate “under the Glen Lake Manor umbrella,” including guest lodging, food and drink, a gift shop, and private events.

The lodging component will encompass nine guest rooms on the upper floor and three rental cottages. Maximum anticipated guest numbers include up to two people in each guest room and up to four occupants in each cottage, for a total capacity of 32 overnight guests on premises. The Manor will also include a manager’s suite, a requirement for the establishment to operate as a bed and breakfast.

On the food and drink front, the Rifes plan to incorporate a café and spirits component into the business, including a public lounge “with liquor license, beverage center, and small food items”; and a separate “public dining space,” intended “for the on-site consumption of grab-and-go items or casual dining offerings.” The lounge would have space for up to 20 guests, while the public dining area could accommodate “up to two meals per day for up to 50 guests.”

The property will also house a marketplace and gift shop.

Finally, the Rifes plan to offer the Glen Lake Manor as an event space for “contracted private gatherings in the lounge and/or dining spaces.” Such events are defined by the applicants as “any function engaged by an individual, group, or organization for up to 70 people (if they contract to use both the dining room and the lounge) or up to 50 people if they contract to use only the dining room.” During such events, no additional guests would be allowed in those spaces.

When private events are not in session, the dining room and/or lounge “will be open to the general public for service as developed by the management” – with the exception of breakfast, which would only be available to overnight guests.

Application materials state that the Manor would host up to 12 private contracted gatherings per season, with the property’s event season kicking off in May and running through the end of October. Events involving outdoor amplified music would be required to abide by the property’s quiet hours rules, with all music ending by 10pm for events occurring between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and by 9pm for events earlier in May or between Labor Day and the end of October. No outdoor amplified music would be allowed between November and April.

If their SLUP is approved, the Rifes hope to commence a 24-30-month construction schedule. Construction preparation – including soliciting bids, engaging contractors, and applying for additional permits – would begin during the “first quarter after approval” – potentially as soon as this summer and early fall. The second quarter after approval would bring the first phase of construction and restoration of the three cottages.

The Rifes estimate construction and restoration work will last roughly two years, with the 10th quarter after approval bringing “complete opening” of the new Glen Lake Manor.